Shopping in the Lower Leagues

[Concrete John]

I would like to see more get a chance to have a go at the prem but i think clubs are scared to take the risk.

Yet they'll take similar risks on a foreign player from an inferior league.

[glasses]

Robbie Earnshaw scored goals in all the lower leagues but stuggled in the prem

Comparatively so, but he still finished as West Brom's top scorer that season with 14 goals.

If we spent £3/4m on a lower-league striker and he got 14 goals next season I'd consider that a great return.

My Albion fan mate says Earnshaw is/was a little bit like a poor mans Bent. He is a good poacher at any level, but it is like playing with 10 men. You have to give him chances, or else its pointless him being in the team.

[DBTW]

Jermaine Beckford was tipped for the top wjhilst at Leeds, scored more than Rhodes yet failed to cut it at the top level.

[cheltenhamlion]

I am not so close to it any more but used to watch a lot of lower league football.

I wanted Bent when he was at Ipswich, Tim Cahill and Phil Jagielka were always going to make it in the top flight as well.

You just need to scout it properly although I do take the cheap, foreign imports argument on board as well.

[pauliewalnuts]

I would like to see more get a chance to have a go at the prem but i think clubs are scared to take the risk.

Yet they'll take similar risks on a foreign player from an inferior league.

Inferior to league one and league two? Hmm. Not too sure about that.

I am sure most aren't inferior to the Championship, but when you get up to that level, home based players start to attract much bigger transfer fees, and larger wages, I imagine.

I'd like us to source the best players we possibly can for our money from the biggest pool of players available, which means looking at all markets - sounds like stating the obvious, but the fact we never did that for four years under MON explains in large part the financial shit we are in now.

[Concrete John]

I remember some pundit commenting on Beckford during his time at Leeds, saying you need to look at the type of goals he scores.  This was mainly playing on the shoulder and racing through to finish.  All well and good in Division 1, but as you go up the levels the defenders will be quicker, meaning he won't be able to do that.

Turns out he was right.

[pedro25]

Fabian Delph.

[Brian Taylor]

Croft: Speedy Left-winger from Leyton Orient. Bit runty but quick, and good passer of the ball!

[Clampy]

Dan Harding at Southampton. Attacking left back and good going forward.

[Concrete John]

Inferior to league one and league two? Hmm. Not too sure about that.

What I meant was that the lower leagues and quite a few foreign leagues are inferior to the PL.  As such, you have that element of doubt about them being able to go up a level.  And add in the extra concern over foreign players settling in England, even if from one of the stronger European leagues.

That's not an anti-foreign player argument, but rather one for the lower UK leagues as it's a similar gamble, but one PL clubs make much more often with foreign players. 

[Legion]

Our Enda?

[knowsleyvillain]

Matt phillips at blackpool also a few of the stevenage players looked good in the cup game against spurs.

[PaulWinch again]

If you're looking in the Championship there are quite a few potential players.

[villanic]

Matt phillips at blackpool also a few of the stevenage players looked good in the cup game against spurs.

Was that just a case of them raising there game against a big club for the cup though?

[N'ZMAV]

Peter Whittingham?